Strong arguments can be made that sacking Prime Minister Pierre-Louis was a mistake.  Still, she served Haiti well prior to becoming Prime Minister and will no doubt continue to do so.  Jean Max Bellerive has since been confirmed as the new Prime Minister.  He has stated the increasing foreign investment and reducing poverty will be amongst his highest priorities.  He has a much different style than Pierre-Louis, but faces the same challenges.  This includes promoting food security thoughout Haiti.  

The Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights has announced that Wyclef Jean and Bono will receive the organization's 2009 Ripple of Hope Award. The award, which will be presented at the Center's annual dinner on November 18th, recognizes bold leadership demonstrated by the two honorees on humanitarian issues.

Today is World Pneumonia Day 2009.  Every day, 4000 children die from pneumonia in Haiti and other countries throughout the developing world.  This is more than HIV/AIDS, measles, and malaria combined.  Despite that, it has not been a global health priority.  This could change as there is more attention being given this preventable and treatable disease.  While there is no single magic bullet, there are a series of proven interventions that, if scaled up, would protect and promote the health of children around the world.  Click here to learn which organizations participated in World Pneumonia Day 2009 and here to learn how you can be a part of the global fight against pneumonia, not just for one day, but throughout the year.

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization's International Centre for Science and High Technology (UNIDO/ICS) reports it is preparing an initiaitve to promote next generation biofuels and biofuel refinery in African, Caribbean and Pacific countries.  As part of this initiative, UNIDO seeks 35 partners in 25 countries.  More details are below.  Please pass this on to any potential candidates operating in Haiti.

1. Don't just read about Haiti, see it! Matt has uploaded a number of interesting new photos to the Haiti Innovation Flickr Site.  They include shots of a Vodoun ceremony, Port au Prince's fragile but beautiful gingerbread houses, coastal life, and grafitti art in Port au Prince.        

Haiti Innovation was founded five years ago by four Peace Corps Volunteers who served in Haiti.  We wanted to do this because we felt Haiti had given us more than we were able to give back during our two and a half years of service.  This website has been a way for us to repay a debt - to Haitian colleagues, friends, and family who we learned from and have not forgotten.   Haitians like to say that their country has teeth - it bites on to you and it doesn't let you go.  Haiti has changed, we've changed, and the website has changed.  But five years and 527 blogs later, Haiti still hasn't let go. 

I sometimes see articles in small town newspapers about churches or schools sending food to Haiti.  The intention is good, but the impact is not - this is not how to promote food security.  Project Medishare takes a different approach by fighting hunger, creating jobs, and supporting the local economy at the same time.  Its Akamil factory, once operational, will produce fortified and highly nutritious food, from locally purchased ingredients, for malnourished children, pregnant women, and people living with tuberculosis and/or HIV/AIDS.  My hope is that this facility will be the first of many.  If you'd like to support this important effort, a link to Project Medishare's project fund-raising site is below.  

According to Edith Lederer (AP), The Security Council voted Tuesday to extend the U.N. Peacekeeping Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) for another year.  The Council slightly reduced peacekeepers and added more police instead. In the absence of large scale security operations (such as took place in Cite Soleil), MINUSTAH will increasingly focus on rapid deployment to border and coastal areas.  Also copied below is the full UN resolution which references the protection of children, the participation of women, and the need to promote human rights and legal reform.  While Haiti is stabilizing, and the relationship with MINUSTAH is at times tense, it is still very much needed.